passing business analysis certification exam

What, Me Worried? Five Tips to Improve Study and Comprehension for Passing Business Analysis Certification Exams

Studying for and passing a certification exam is challenging and anxiety-producing. I admit to feeling stressed each time and spending numerous hours preparing for my exams. It helped me in all cases to memorize key aspects of the underlying Body of Knowledge, which exams like CBAP, PMP, or PMI-PBA are based on. Even in an …

Richard Larson, PMP, CBAP, PMI-PBA

Richard Larson, PMP, CBAP, PMI-PBA, was the founder of and is now a consultant for Watermark Learning. He is a successful entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience in product development, business analysis, project management, training, and consulting. As an internal entrepreneur, Rich led the development of several Watermark Learning online products as a business analyst and product owner. Rich is a frequent speaker at Business Analysis and Project Management national conferences and IIBA® and PMI® chapters around the world. He has contributed as a lead author to the BA Body of Knowledge version 2.0 and 3.0 and was a lead author on PMI’s Business Analysis Practice Guide. He and his wife Elizabeth Larson have co-authored five books on business analysis.

ecba vs ccba

ECBA™ vs. CCBA® vs. CBAP® vs. IIBA®-AAC: Which IIBA Certification is Right for You?

In this blog, we will be exploring the various certifications offered by IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis). We will start by differentiating between the three designations that are considered the “core” business analysis certifications: ECBA™ (Entry Certificate in Business Analysis) CCBA® (Certificate of Capability in Business Analysis) CBAP® (Certified Business Analysis Professional) After outlining …

Ben Schwartz

How to get your employer to pay for your certification

How to Get Your Employer to Pay for Your Certification

Continuing education in our profession is an excellent way to develop our role and further our careers. However, receiving a certification can often prove challenging. Finding the funds and spending the time required to get a certification is especially difficult while working a full-time position. In most cases, it’s worth reaching out to our employers …

Elizabeth Larson, PMP, CBAP, PMI-PBA, CSM

Elizabeth Larson, PMP, CBAP, CSM is a consultant and advisor for Watermark Learning/PMA. She has over 35 years of experience in project management and business analysis. Elizabeth has co-authored four books and chapters published in five additional books, as well as articles that appear regularly in BA Times, Project Times, and Modern Analyst. Elizabeth was a lead author/expert reviewer on all editions of the BABOK® Guide, as well as the several of the PMI standards. Elizabeth also enjoys giving presentations, and her speaking history includes repeat keynotes and presentations for national and international conferences on five continents. Elizabeth enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, theater, and spending time with her 7 grandkids.

Certification Test Anxiety Take a Prometric Test Drive

Certification Test Anxiety? Take a Prometric Test Drive!

A certification test can cause a lot of anxiety. Some people seem to be able to add letters after their names as easily as Vanna White gets them to light up on Wheel of Fortune. CBAP, CCBA, ECBA, BRMP®, PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)®, Project Management Professional (PMP)®, PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®, CSM, CSPO…the list goes …

Andrea Brockmeier, PMP, CSM, PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, BRMP

Andrea Brockmeier, PMP, CSM, PMI-PBA, BRMP is the Director of Project Management for Watermark Learning. Andrea is an experienced trainer, facilitator, speaker, and project manager, with over 25 years of business experience. Andrea oversees certification and skills development curriculum in project management, business analysis, and leadership. She has been a speaker at IIBA® and PMI® conferences and is an active volunteer. She enjoys practicing what she teaches and has a steady stream of projects that she manages. Andrea is highly committed to partnering with her clients through projects, consulting, and training, and seeks to make every engagement enjoyable as well as valuable.

My ECBA Journey

My ECBA Journey

As a marketing coordinator, I had no idea what a business analyst was before coming to Watermark…and I’m still learning. Now, with IIBA’s new level 1 certificate (ECBA), I decided to take the plunge and learn more about this role, in order to educate myself and be able to speak BA with our customers. The …